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  Welcome to the twenties. Boy, what a decade it’s been…Well here it is. 2020. You made it. You’ve endured the horrendously named “teenies” and I’m sure you’ve picked up a few stories along the way. For those of us in the conservation game, it’s been ten years punctuated by happiness and heartbreak – and here’s the rundown:
For me, the stand-out was a tragedy. Having flown four rhinos – the last of their kind – from captivity in Europe to the African savannah, we dared to dream that the northern white rhino had a future. Hundreds of people put thousands of hours into snatching an unlikely conservation victory from the jaws of defeat. Those hopes have been dashed. Despite our best efforts, the elderly rhinos failed to breed. Now two are dead, and the last two survivors are female. Their chances of natural reproduction are as over as the decade. In this case, the conservation world simply did too little, too late.
It hasn’t all been bad news – far from it. What’s happened with mountain gorillas is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. They were once down to just a few hundred individuals, clinging on desperately in their shrinking forests. And for these remarkable creatures, we were able to act in time. It’s been a decade of success. They’ve had big win, after big win, after big win. Today, they number more than 1,000, and their survival chances are improving with each passing year.
Meanwhile Sumatra’s tigers have faced ten years of clinging on. When the decade began, their situation seemed relatively stable thanks to the sterling work of our tiger protection teams. But a new crisis was just around the corner. A massive spike in demand for tiger parts led to a blitz of poaching that threatened to annihilate these big cats. But in Sumatra, we held the line. Throughout the decade we kept numbers stable – repelling wave after wave of poaching. The heroes in the field have weathered the latest storm and they’re incontestably stronger for it – entering the twenties as one of the most impressive conservation forces on the planet.
In Eurasia a very different story was unfolding. We had to witness over 200,000 saiga suddenly dying from a bacterium that no modern medicine could cure. The scenes of mass graves and entire herds vanishing were truly sickening. But in Kazakhstan, we’ve helped engineer a dramatic recovery. In just two years, the saiga population has more than doubled. After a decade of total turbulence, and thanks to better protection from poachers, they are bouncing back with a vengeance.
At the start of the decade, the country of South Sudan didn’t even exist. Within just two years of gaining independence in 2011, it had fallen into bloody civil war. Despite the raging conflict, we’ve maintained a presence in the country, protecting a unique forest corridor and the elephants, chimps and pangolins that depend on it. We’re bringing communities and government rangers together, relieving tension and reducing threats to wildlife in areas so wild we don’t even know what’s out there.
We’ve worn out untold pairs of boots patrolling and saved the lives of countless pangolins, tapirs, turtles, crocodiles, elephants, snakes, magnolias, mangroves, snails, baobabs, butterflies, geckos, gibbons and far more species than I could fit in an email – more than I could fit in ten. So, we’ll leave it there, and get cracking with the work we’ll need to do in the twenties. Have no doubt, there are going to be bigger challenges, harsher conditions and more disasters coming than we’ve ever faced before. So let’s get it done. Honestly, if you’ve made it this far down the email, then I have to recommend you buy our book. It tells the story of at an entire century of conservation, and every penny goes to our work. |
8 thoughts on “Good and Bad news from the Conservation front.”
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This was a heartbreaking post to get through. There are just no words.
There is tragedy going on all around us. It feels like we are fighting a rearguard defence that is bound to fail. We just have to keep fighting.
As I grow older I can’t bear it anymore it’s too much! because you are life Journeys raising kids falling in and out of love watching our loved ones die Etc. We’re losing precious animals people are taking lives it just keeps coming at us and it’s too much it has to stop! we’re supposed to take care of each other not ridicule and judge and killing all those things that we have the ability to stop it all!! Even if it’s in our Primal DNA we are smart enough to know know that hurting is not the way! There are so many things to be ashamed of! It is long overdue for a new way of living and acceptance of what we’ve never tolerated and that is Harmony and peace and quiet in our souls. ☀️ I appreciate your writing, very much, as well as many others will try to make a difference. And show the blunt of our actions!
Thanks Myth. Yes it really upsets me too. I have to keep telling myself that we are getting better. We are. There are just these relapses we have to deal with. The solution lies with the kids. They are great. Good education is the answer.
Opher you are right …it lies with the kids! They ARE great! Many of your posts Open Spaces in my heart of frustration because adults need to be better examples. It has become a no-holds bar to anything that comes out of our mouths ‘publicly’. I don’t mean to get off topic here, but this is a perfect example of how your posts are so good that they lead to so many amazing Conversation Pieces. Your post that I read yesterday just grabbed my heart! There are so many atrocities in our world! It is heartbreaking! and then I feel guilty because I have found peace and calmness in my little piece of the world. Something I wish for every human being on this planet. life is so beautiful and no one should have to miss out on that! No one! But many do, many are forced to. But in the meantime those of us who are able to, we must do the best we can to make a difference, to be an example by showing that hurdles can be jumped! And wear our shame in front of it all! Stand out in the writing world Opher and leave your mark!! It is a bright sunny morning here this brisk January morn, and I love to be outdoors ..off I go >>>>Have a Great New Year!☀️😀 Embrace all things you love!! Fill your heart to the brim of the purpose of living!!☀️🙌
You know Myth I was having a fiery conversation with a bunch of friends at a meal before Christmas. One was arguing that you had to live a spiritual life and project love and peace and not involve yourself in what was happening. His argument was that there was nothing you could do about it so let it be. It only made you angry and frustrated. I could understand that. But I can’t do that. When I look around at all the horrendous things going on – the wars, gangs, environmental destruction, cruelty, misogyny, wars and violence – I feel I’ve got to get involved. I have to write about it – make some sort of protest even if it is pathetic.
I believe we build a zeitgeist. If enough of us care and make our voices heard then it effects others. The ripples spread out and molecule by molecule we change the world – at least we don’t allow the bastards a clear run!
Very informative and useful post! Surely learnt something new today. Please check out my recent post too on the need of practicing conservation by one and all, in different ways and feel free to share your thoughts! 🙂 – https://thelifestyleleader.wordpress.com/2020/04/05/lifestyle-changes-for-the-bigger-cause/
Cheers Dolly!